The Great Depression is the name given to the period of economic catastrophe that lasted from 1929 until the late 1930s. A number of detailed accounts of the Great Depression are available online. Students should understand that during this period, millions of people were out of work, and where work was available, the conditions were often inhumane and brutal. A number of great literary texts were produced during the Great Depression that were critical of the way American ideology reinforced the denigration of the worker. Among these are John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. To Kill a Mockingbird was set in this period.
Below are several videos to help you develop your understanding of the Depression era.
Dorothea Lange photography
During the Depression, a number of photographers were paid by the government to photograph the effects of the Depression. Among these was Dorothea Lange, whose photographs have become iconic in the history of the Depression. The following film is a collection of her photographs put to the music of the era.
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
The following is another film that brings together images of the depression set to the music of the song, "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" Listen to the lyrics; the song is one of the greats from the period.
Table of Contents
Overview
The Great Depression is the name given to the period of economic catastrophe that lasted from 1929 until the late 1930s. A number of detailed accounts of the Great Depression are available online. Students should understand that during this period, millions of people were out of work, and where work was available, the conditions were often inhumane and brutal. A number of great literary texts were produced during the Great Depression that were critical of the way American ideology reinforced the denigration of the worker. Among these are John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath. To Kill a Mockingbird was set in this period.
Below are several videos to help you develop your understanding of the Depression era.
Dorothea Lange photography
During the Depression, a number of photographers were paid by the government to photograph the effects of the Depression. Among these was Dorothea Lange, whose photographs have become iconic in the history of the Depression. The following film is a collection of her photographs put to the music of the era.
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
The following is another film that brings together images of the depression set to the music of the song, "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" Listen to the lyrics; the song is one of the greats from the period.
Linking The Depression and To Kill a Mockingbird